Death row inmate’s message

The following excerpts are from a powerful, moving statement written by Harvey “Tee” Earvin, a political prisoner and founding member of Panthers United for Revolutionary Education (PURE), a group of inmates on Texas death row. The statement was read Oct. 25 at the 9th Annual March to End Executions sponsored by the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement.

First off, PURE expresses our gratitude. We thank you for coming out today! There is no feeling of greater euphoria than that which arises from standing with the people—a people whose numbers are mighty and whose demands are as headlong as rushing waters unable to be turned around by ANY opposition.

We stand with you today in spirit, but, mind you, a spirit unbroken, even though for years we have lived in the waiting rooms of the killing chambers, where the thought of death and dying are constant and abusive living conditions a daily reality.

In the aftermath of the Baze decision, wherein the Supreme Court approved the protocol of lethal injection, Texas is fast back to business as usual: snuffing out life with distressing ease. While we are here to protest these unconscionable deeds, the end to this capitalist system is our greatest need.

State-sanctioned murder is part and parcel of the overall prison-industrial complex; the prison-industrial complex is part and parcel of capitalism. And under capitalism we are ALL victims of some description—we may be homeless, jobless or a wage slave, a prisoner, a worker or a borrower.

The $700 billion push to bailout predatory lenders, a.k.a. capitalist crooks, at the expense of the working people clearly points to whose interests are represented under this system.

Not long ago, my daughter, who is mentally challenged, single with three children and on disability, was literally without food. Her measly disability check doesn’t carry her the full month because she’s still on the waiting list for low-income housing. So she turned to me—her father on death row with nothing! I tried to send her what food from the commissary I had, only about $10 worth, but I was told I could not do that. It’s against prison policy to send out perishable goods, even to a needy family. Hurt, I turned to my sister, who is unemployed after having been laid off from work after an auto accident.

Such are the faces that we see in the news stamped “LAZY”; the faces used when they want to cut needed programs. There are millions of dollars available to try capital cases and to put people in prison or to death, but not a nickel available to feed a hungry child.

“Adjustable-rate mortgage payments are going up,” says Comrade Fred Goldstein in his front-page article in the Oct. 2 issue of Workers World newspaper. “The cost of living is skyrocketing and the economy is shrinking—leaving workers fewer jobs and smaller paychecks.”

How might this bailout money be used? Well, the comrade answers that question, too. “It could be used to pay for universal health care, affordable housing, affordable education, daycare, job creation, and other basic needs.” And to this, we in PURE add: For the prisoners, we too call for education, rehabilitation and job creation for the nation within this country of over 2 million people under lock and key. And we demand capital help instead of capital punishment!

Freedom from the system of capitalism! Freedom for us all! Freedom for us all! Freedom for every pauper on the street and every slave behind the wall!